(Also note that Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb has taken the buyout. So, too, we hear has Athelia Knight).

Then the WaPo wants you! The Post's Pam Kendrick sent out this announcement to staffers today:

With Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb's decision to accept the early retirement offer, we are seeking a skilled editor to succeed her as Obituaries Editor.

Replacing Yvonne will not be easy. She did an exceptional job, raising the quality of our obituaries, introducing innovations in print and online, and managing a staff through a relentless workload.

Qualifications for the position include: A love for the craft of the well-told obituary; impeccable reporting and writing skills; deep knowledge about a host of subjects; a competitive streak; a passion for history and biography; and the capacity to deal effectively and compassionately with the public.

The Obituaries Editor, while reporting and writing obits, supervises a team of experienced reporters. The duties include assigning and editing stories, scheduling, doing staff evaluations, and coordinating with the News Desk, the Metro Copy Desk, other sections, the Photo Desk and WPNI editors. Previous editing experience is preferred but not a prerequisite.

Our policy on obits makes The Post unique in the industry. In addition to reporting on the deaths of the well-known, we will do an obituary on anyone who has lived a substantial portion of his or her life in the Washington region. Obituaries are the news stories that bring The Post into the most intimate contact with its readers.

We are looking for someone with an editor's eye and a reporter's zest, someone who can move the paper further along in its quest to deliver the best news obituaries anywhere. We plan to fill this job internally.